1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a connector connecting device in which an inserting-drawing force, acting between two connectors, is reduced, utilizing the pivotal movement of a lever.
2. Related Art
A large inserting-drawing force is required for interconnecting two connectors having multi-pole terminals. Therefore, there has been proposed an interconnecting device of the type in which the large inserting-drawing force is obtained with a small force, utilizing the leverage of a lever.
FIG. 43 shows an interconnecting device of this type disclosed in JP-A-11-26067. In this construction, a slide member 1 is slidably mounted on one connector 2. A lever 3, supported on the slide member 1, is pivotally moved in accordance with the sliding movement of the slide member 1 relative to the one connector 2. In this case, when the slide member 1 is slid, a distal end of the lever 3 engages an engagement portion 5 formed on the other connector 4, and in accordance with the pivotal movement of the lever 3, the one connector 1 is drawn into the other connector 4 with a large force, thereby connecting the two connectors (see FIGS. 44 to 46).
However, in this construction, the lever is pivotally mounted. Therefore for connecting the two connectors, it is necessary to draw the one connector 1 into the other connector 4, with the slide member 1 kept in a completely drawn-out condition relative to the one connector 2, and the operation for connecting the two connectors is very cumbersome.
This invention has been made under the above circumstance, and an object of the invention is to provide a connector-interconnecting device in which two connectors are connected together, utilizing the pivotal movement of a lever effected in accordance with the sliding movement of a slide member, and the operation for interconnecting the two connectors can be effected easily.
According to the present invention, there is provided a connector-interconnecting device comprising a lever pivotally mounted on one of a male connector and a female connector; a slide member which is slidably mounted on the one connector, having the lever mounted thereon, and pivotally moves the lever in accordance with a sliding movement of the slide member; and an engagement portion formed on the other connector, the lever being engageable with the engagement portion in accordance with the pivotal movement of the lever; wherein an operating force, applied to the slide member, is converted into the pivotal movement of the lever, thereby reducing an inserting-drawing force acting between the two connectors;
wherein there is provided a holding mechanism for holding the lever against pivotal movement by engagement with the one connector when the slider is kept in a drawn-out condition relative to the one connector.
In this construction, the lever is held against pivotal movement by the holding mechanism through the engagement with the one connector, and therefore the slide member is held in a drawn-out position relative to the one connector.
The slide member, mounted on the one connector, is pushed, with the one connector held against the other connector. At this time, when the holding or retaining of the lever by the holding mechanism is canceled, the lever is allowed to be pivotally moved, and the lever is pivotally moved in accordance with the sliding movement of the slide member from a slide start position, and is brought into engagement with the engagement portion provided at the other connector.
Then, when the slide member is further pushed, the lever, held in engagement with the engagement portion provided at the other connector, is further pivotally moved, and the force, applied to the slide member is amplified, and serves as a force for pushing the one connector into the other connector because of leverage in which case an engagement portion of the lever, held in engagement with the engagement portion, serves as a supporting point, and the axis portion of the lever serves as an application point, and that portion of the lever, connected to the slide member, serves as a force-applying point. Therefore, the large force for connecting the two connectors together can be obtained by the small pushing force applied to the slide member, and the one connector can be easily inserted into the other connector.
Then, when the slide member is pushed into a slide finish position relative to the one connector, the two connectors are completely connected together.
When the one connector is to be drawn from the other connector, the slide member is drawn out relative to the one connector. As a result, the drawing force, applied to the slide member, is amplified, and serves as a draw force for drawing the one connector from the other connector, as described above for the inserting operation. Therefore, the large force for canceling the connection between the two connectors can be obtained with the small drawing force applied to the slide member, and the one connector can be easily drawn from the other connector.
In the above construction, preferably, holding cancellation means is provided at the other connector, and during the time when the one connector is inserted into and drawn from the other connector, the holding cancellation means cancels the holding of the lever by the holding mechanism.
In this construction, when the slide member, mounted on the one connector, is pushed, with the one connector held against the other connector, the holding cancellation means cancels the retaining or holding of the lever by the holding mechanism, so that the lever is automatically brought into a pivotally-movable condition.
In the above construction, preferably, at the time when the lever begins to engage the engagement portion, a line, interconnecting an axis of pivotal movement of the lever and a force-applying point of the lever, at which a force is applied to the lever from the slide member, is disposed generally perpendicularly to a direction of sliding of the slide member.
In this construction, at the time when the lever begins to engage the engagement portion, a line, interconnecting the supporting point of the lever and the force-applying point of the lever, at which the force is applied to the lever from the slide member, is disposed generally perpendicularly to the direction of sliding of the slide member, and therefore the maximum force can be applied to the lever from the slide member, and the force for initiating the connection between the two connectors can be reduced to a very small level.
Preferably, a pair of opposed support portions are formed on the one connector, and are spaced a predetermined distance from each other, and the lever, inserted in a gap between the support portions, is pivotally movably supported by the support portions in such a manner that the lever is held between the support portions, and the lever has slanting surfaces, and when the lever is inserted into the gap between the support portions, the slanting surfaces are brought into sliding contact with peripheral edges of head portions of the support portions, respectively.
With this construction, when the lever is inserted into the gap between the support portions, the slanting surfaces, formed on the lever, are brought into sliding contact with the support portions, respectively, and therefore the lever can be easily inserted into the gap between the support portions.
When the lever is pivotally moved a predetermined angle from a rotation start position in accordance with the sliding movement of the slide member, the lever is brought into engagement with the engagement portion.
In this construction, the lever is pivotally moved to increase its rotation force before the lever is brought into engagement with the engagement portion, and therefore the force of engagement of the lever with the engagement portion is increased.
A terminal holder is mounted on the one connector to prevent terminals from being drawn from the one connector, and when the terminal holder is incompletely mounted on the one connector, the terminal holder projects into a path of sliding movement of the slide member.
With this construction, when the terminal holder is mounted on the one connector, the terminals are prevented from withdrawal. In this case, when the terminal holder is incompletely mounted on the one connector, the terminal holder projects into the path of sliding movement of the slide member, and therefore the sliding movement of the slide member is prevented. Therefore, it can be judged that the mounting of the terminal holder is incomplete. When the slide member is completely slid, the terminal holder is covered with the slide member. Therefore, even if the terminal holder is slightly drawn, the terminal holder contacts the slide member, and is prevented from being further drawn. Thus, the complete withdrawal of the terminal holder is positively prevented..